A Survey of Recorded French Harpsichord Music (1650-1770)

The French Baroque produced a wealth of music for the harpsichord, of
a very distinctive character. One can distinguish two main periods,
pivoting around the works of François Couperin or the early
18th century. French composers went on composing for the harpsichord
until the Revolution.

The seventeenth century is mainly characterized by the lasting
influence of the lute, which was, until the 1660s, the king of
instruments. This influence is found both in the type of
pieces (loosely arranged dance suites, often preceded by
unmeasured preludes, and including allemandes, courantes,
sarabandes and gigues), as well as in the style and ornementation.
D'Anglebert includes several pieces by well-known lutenists,
and Chambonnières pays homage to the famous lutenist
Blancrocher in a tombeau.

By the time Couperin comes on the scene in the early 18th century,
the harpsichord has
matured into its own style of short, evocative character
pieces, which owe less and less to the dance archetypes.
And, while the works of the Grand Siècle are full
or grandeur and solemn grace, the century of Louis XV is
more inclined to elegance and lightness. In this, the music
reflects the other arts, and one can think of the Grand Trianon
and the Petit Trianon as perfect expressions of this contrast.
Couperin has also expressed in two pieces of his 24th order,
les Grands Seigneurs (appropriately, a sarabande) and les Jeunes Seigneurs.
Nevertheless, the whole repertoire strikes me as imbued from
beginning to end with a tendancy toward introspection and
melancholy which makes gives it a unity and a beauty second
to none.

The Seventeenth Century (Le Grand Siècle)

Jacques Champion de Chambonnières (ca. 1597-1672) was the
founder of the French harpsichord school. He was son and grandson
of organists, and himself played the organ, but his fame came from
his talents in writing as well as playing the harpsichord. In fact,
he was the first one to succesfully perform as a soloist in recitals
on this instrument. He was the first to hold the position of
Harpsichordist of the King. He married the heiress to the land
of Chambonnières, in the Brie region. He published two
books of pieces in 1670, and a number of other pieces are in
various manuscripts. He was also the teacher of the three Couperin
brothers (Louis, François the elder and Charles), d'Anglebert,
Lebègue, and the organists Cambert, Hardel and Nivers.

One day, while Chambonnières was entertaining guests at his
country seat, three brothers from the nearby town of Chaume came to
serenade him on their violins, standing at the door of the room where
the party was. The diners were charmed by the music, and the host
asked the musicians to come in and join them at the table. He asked
if the music was their own, and they pointed to one of them, Louis
Couperin (1626-1661), as the author. Chambonnières told him that he
ought not to stay in the country, and that he must absolutely come
with him to Paris, and thus started Louis Couperin's career. He
eventually secured the position of organist at Saint-Gervais, which
was to remain in his family until the 19th century. His harpsichord
works were not published in his lifetime, Davitt Moroney produced a
modern edition, used in the complete sets by him and Verlet.

The other two composers who represent the French 17th century
are d'Anglebert and Lebègue. Nicolas Lebègue
(1631-1702) seems better recorded as an organist.
Jean Henri d'Anglebert (1635-91) succeeded
Chambonnières
as Harpsichordist of the King when the latter was fired for refusing
to play basso continuo for Lully. He published his works in 1689.
Scott Ross recorded all of it, along with organ fugues. Kenneth
Gilbert recorded various excerpts of Lully's operas transcribed
for harpsichord by d'Anglebert.

The Transition (ca. 1700)

So little is known about Gaspard Le Roux that some have
conjectured that it might be a pseudonym. He is thought
of as the link between d'Anglebert and Couperin (his
published work use d'Anglebert's table of ornaments), and
combines the severity and grandeur of the Grand Siècle
with the grace of the upcoming Régence. Rousset's
recent recording is absolutely superb, on a beautiful 1751 Hemsch,
perfectly recorded.

Suites pour clavecin (1705)

Huguette Grémy-ChaulliacMusidisc VLS 291 382

Suites pour clavecin

Iakovos PappasArkadia CDAK 127.1

Pièces de clavecin

Christophe RoussetOiseau-Lyre 443 329-2 (1995)

Another figure which has received increasing attention for
her other works is Elizabeth Jacquet de la Guerre (1666-1729),
who published her second book in 1707 (her first book of 1687 is
lost).

Louis Marchand (1669-1732) was by far the best organist of his
time, and was a much-demanded harpsichord teacher. Only his
unruly behavior kept him from social and financial success.
He succeeded Nivers as organist of the Royal Chapel but had
to relinquish his post and spent time in various German courts.
He declined a position in Dresden because of the intimidating
presence of Bach, and returned to Paris to become organist at
the Cordeliers, where his concerts attracted crowds (even when
he played with one hand after having injured an arm). His
harpsichord output consists in two small books (suites, really)
published in 1699. Verlet's recording is complete, and is said
to be superb, but amounts to less than 40mn of recorded
music, whereas Grémy-Chauliac includes the complete output
of Clérambault (1676-1749), better known for his
cantatas, who published a book of harpsichord music in 1704 (but the miking
is terribly close to the instrument).

1er & 2e livres (1699)

Blandine VerletAstrée E7736 (1978)

Marchand, Clérambault: L'Oeuvre pour Clavecin

Huguette Grémy-Chauliac Fy FYCD 055 (1977)

Les Grands Maîtres: Couperin and Rameau

The highest point is reached with François Couperin "le
Grand" and Jean-Philippe Rameau (1684-1764).

François Couperin (1668-1733) was the son of Charles Couperin
(1639-79), younger brother of Louis. He succeeded d'Anglebert as
harpsichordist of the King, became organist of the Royal Chapel,
and taught the harpsichord to Louis XIV's grandson. His younger
daughter Marguerite-Antoinette was an accomplished performer; she
succeeded her father as harpsichordist of the King and taught
the instrument to Louis XV's daughters.

Couperin's music is arranged in 27 "Ordres", distributed through
4 books (published in 1713, 1717, 1722 and 1730). Some of his
orchestral or chamber works, namely the Apothéoses of Corelli
and Lully, the four Concerts Royaux and pieces from the Concerts des
Nations, are also performed on one or two harpsichords. A total of
12 hours of music or so, it contains a microcosm of fantasy
and characters. It is impossible not to think of his contemporary
Watteau, whose impressionistic paintings show quiet revellers
and strange comedia dell'arte figures drifting amidst vast
gardens bathed in a subdued, melancholy light. Most pieces
bear names suggesting moods, emotions, or traits of character,
while some are programmatic, and some are simply mysterious.
The whole forms a subtle and magical world.

There are several complete recordings of Couperin's output.
I have not personally sampled all of them, but
I can vouch for the brilliance and exquisite sound of Rousset's
cycle. Beaumont's recording of book 4 is also excellent.

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764) published a
book in 1706, the Suites in 1724, the Nouvelles Suites in 1728,
and five pieces as part of his chamber pieces of 1741. Rameau's
pieces are more rare, and often more dramatic then Couperin
ever is; they also show more audacity and inventiveness.
To me, this is really the summum of the French harpsichord.
Naturally, Rameau has attracted the greatest performers of
our time.

Antoine Forqueray (1672-1745) was one of the best gambists of his time
and the rival of Marin Marais. His viol pieces were published
after his death by his son Jean-Baptiste Forqueray
(1699-1782), who, perhaps realizing
that the viol was in its death-throes, decided to transcribe
the pieces for harpsichord to expand their audience (1747).
The result is rather intriguing, unlike the other pieces of
the time, and it takes a robust interpretation, such as that
of Le Gaillard, to do these pieces justice. Leonhardt maintains
a controlled energy, but Ton Koopman lets go completely.

Les Petits Maîtres

It is quite clear that French harpsichord music reached its apex
with Couperin and Rameau. Their followers, however, are not without
interest. Much of the music fails to reach the exquisite feeling
and melancholy depth of the Great Masters, but the Little Masters
show the beauty of Rococo music at its finest. the pieces cease
to be structured in dance suites, and the character pieces are
more and more replaced by "dedicated" pieces (that is, pieces
bearing the name of a friend or, more likely, a wealthy patron).
These composers primarily aim to please, and they succeed.

Jean-François Dandrieu (1682-1738) follows closely in the
footsteps of Couperin. As with all harpsichordists, he was
primarily an organist. He left three books of harpsichord pieces,
which have not been recorded in full.

24 pièces extraites des trois livres (1724, 1728, 1738)

Olivier BeaumontAdda 581073 (1987)

Louis-Claude Daquin (1694-1772) belonged to a well-established
family of scholars and medical doctors, descended from a 16th
century Italian talmudist from Aquino, who converted and settled
in Avignon. He was an extremely succesful organist:
he beat Rameau in the competition for the position at the church of
Saint-Paul in Paris, and later accumulated up to five positions, including
Notre-Dame and the Royal Chapel.

Premier Livre de Pièces de clavecin (1735)

Anne Robert BNL Productions 112809 (1991)

Claude-Bénigne Balbastre (1727-99) was again a very well-known
organist. He cumulated the organs of Notre-Dame and the Royal Chapel,
and taught harpsichord playing to Marie-Antoinette and the duc de
Chartres, future Philippe-Égalité. His performances
at Mass in the church of Saint-Roch included gigues, hunting calls
and other worldly intrusions which delighted or shocked the audience.
He was also very interested in instrument-building, experimented
with harpsichords, piano-fortes, and a combined piano/organ. At
the end of his life, he adapted to the circumstances, and managed
to save the organ of Notre-Dame by demonstrating its usefulness
under the new order, by playing variations on Revolutionary
marching songs.

Interestingly, Balbastre has attracted famous names in the 1970s: Gustav
Leonhardt, Blandine Verlet, and a young William Christie all recorded
selections on LPs. Anne Robert's complete recording of the 1st
and only book of 1759 is excellent, and shows how Balbastre
combined virtuosity, character and charm in a way which puts him
above any dismissive labels.
Ivète Piveteau presents a selection which includes later
pieces on transitional harpsichords and piano-forte, including
the Revolutionary pieces.

Pièces de clavecin (1er livre, 1759)

Anne RobertAdda 581093 (1988)

Pièces de clavecin (1er livre)

Ursula DeutschlerClaves LC3369

Du clavecin au piano-forte

Ivète PiveteauAdda 581160 (1988)

Jacques Duphly (1715-89) was perhaps the last great proponent of
the harpsichord. He stuck to the instrument in contrast to
Balbastre. Le Gaillard's complete recording is superb. Selections
have been recorded by Mitzi Meyerson (Gaudeamus 108) and Gustav
Leonhardt (Deutsche Harmonia Mundi 77924, with pieces by Le Roux,
Rameau, Royer).